Drug smuggler caught with £100k cannabis in suitcase

A drug smuggler was caught arriving at Edinburgh Airport with a suitcase filled with with cannabis worth more than £100,000 on the streets.

Henry Alden was intercepted by border control officers after picking up the case when he arrived on a flight from Barcelona.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Alden, 20, claimed he had been in the Spanish city for a fortnight but enquiries revealed he had flown from Luton to Barcelona five days earlier.

Prosecutor Bruce Erroch told the court: “He advised the officers that the suitcase was his, that he had packed it himself and that he was not carrying anything for anyone else.”

He said the case was opened and officers found it contained “a limited amount of clothing”. Alden had packed two T-shirts, a polo shirt, two pairs of shorts and a set of underwear.

Mr Erroch said: “It also contained 11 bags of an apparent herbal substance, each bag being a clear, plastic, vacuum-sealed branded “Food-Saver” package.” Each bag was found to contain a kilo of herbal cannabis.

The advocate depute said the consignment of the Class B drug could be bought for between £22,000 to £33,000.

But he added that with herbal cannabis being sold to users at £10 a gram the haul had the potential to make £110,400 on the streets.

Alden, who has a previous conviction for cannabis possession, was taken to St Leonards police station in Edinburgh where he gave a “no comment” interview.

He was found to have 1254 Euros on him which were seized by police.

Alden, of St Andrews Road, Portsmouth, admitted illegally importing the drug and being concerned in the supply of it on May 19 this year at Edinburgh Airport.

A judge told him: “You have pled guilty to two very serious offences, concerning the importation and being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.”

Lady Wise called for a background report ahead of sentencing Alden, who is detained at Polmont Young Offenders’ Institution.